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About Me

YA fiction devourer, book blogger, theatre enthusiast, avid globetrotter, drinker of tea and eater of all things chocolate. I like reading all trypes of YA but have a particular weakness for fantasy, historical and the mystery/detective genre - varied I know :) I also like to plan novels that I'll never write...

Synopsis from Goodreads:The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real? Welcome to Weep.

Review: Every so often a book will come along that makes you think “wow, I wish I could write something like that!” and Strange the Dreamer about sums that category up. I got the gorgeous hardcover through FairyLoot (whooo!) and savoured the whole reading experience, especially as I’d recently met Laini Taylor during her UK tour (blog post on that here!) They hype was strong with this was from way back in 2016 and so I had high hopes… needless to say Strange delivered and then some 🙂

Stolen name, stolen sky. Stolen children, stolen years.

I want to start with Lazlo because *hearts* – but not in the Rhysand way (I’m sure you all know what that means…) Lazlo was so likeable and a character you couldn’t help but root for. I spent most of the book just wanting the world for Lazlo because he hella deserved it. It’s not often you get such a pure character that doesn’t also come across as a little too sugary, but Ms Taylor got it bang on with Lazlo, he was earnest yes, but very genuine. Sarai was another strong character – I loved how principled she was even though she had every right to be bitter, being punished for something that was before her time. The secondary characters were also great, interesting and complex but I felt like we didn’t see enough of them! Thyon and Calixte, Sparrow and Feral, Azareen and Eril-Fane clearly all have their own back stories and parts to play so I’m hoping we get to see more of them in the next and final book.

But dreams were a different matter. He was Strange the Dreamer. This was his realm, and there were no limits here.

Interestingly, during the event, Laini mentioned that Strange the Dreamer doesn’t have a villain – and while initially , I thought maybe I didn’t agree entirely, the beauty of this book is how it makes you re-examine concepts like good and evil, right and wrong, hero and villain. Nothing about the conundrum in Strange is clear cut black and white – Laini said she wanted to tackle the aftermath of war and whether forgiveness and healing can overcome violence and vengeance and I am in awe of how she handled this, through complex characters and flawless worldbuilding. Unfairly, YA seems to often have a rep for being about fluffy romances and high school drama, but then books like Strange knock misconceptions like that out of the park, especially as you can draw parallels between this fantasy story and many things going on in the world today.

Vengeance… if you really feel it – then you speak it like it’s a still-beating heart clenched in your fist and there’s blood running down you arm, dripping off your elbow, and you can’t let go.

So yes needless to say, I completely fell in love with the story in Strange the Dreamer, it was totally original and Laini had me on tenterhooks the whole time – I could not have seen that ending coming or much of the book at all. At the signing event, Laini described the book as a love letter to fantasy fans and it really is! Strange the Dreamer is all about the beauty of dreams, the strength of imagination, and the wonder of love and evil. The story was woven well, and it all came together brilliantly at the end. One thing I did appreciate was that although Strange is the first in a duology, the ending didn’t feel like a cop out, it was very much the end of one story and the beginning of another.

For what was a person but the sum of all the scraps of their memory and experience: a finite set of components with an infinite array of expressions.

Final mention goes to the EX-QUI-SITE writing in Strange the Dreamer. I fell in love with Laini’s writing when I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Strange does not disappoint – in fact I think it’s miles better if that’s even possible. I found myself highlighting vast swathes of the book and conjuring up the most fantastical images of Lazlo’s world. Laini really does have a gift stringing together ordinary words in the most extraordinary way and hearing her talk about it at the event was beyond brilliant. If gorgeously written fantasy is right up your street, but Strange the Dreamer isn’t already on your shelves/kindle/TBR you must go and get it now! I promise you won’t regret it 🙂

Every colour was deeper, richer than the real, and there were so many of them. If the weaver of the world itself had kept the snipped ends of every thread she’d ever used, her basket might look something like this.

Have you read Strange the Dreamer? Did you manage to meet Laini during her UK tour? Let me know in the comments below!!

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which puts the spotlight on eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date: 2 May 2017 by Bloomsbury

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses (book #3)

Synopsis: Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places. In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all. (Goodreads)

Why I’m looking forward to it: I’ve tried to keep it spoiler free but read at your peril! Right, so I’d be surprised if this upcoming release isn’t on most YA readers and bloggers’ TBR lists! Anyone who has read A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury will be on tenterhooks to find out what happens when Feyre returns to the Spring Court after all that happened during ACoMaF. I read A Court of Mist and Fury as soon as it came out last year (review here). I basically devoured it and it went straight to the top of my favourite YA fantasy series.

The Inner Circle – Rhysand, Mor, Cassian, Amren, and Azriel – was easily one of my highlights in AcoMaF. The characters were in-depth, distinct and the dynamincs between each was killer and had me wanting an Inner Circle of my own *sigh* so I’m definitely looking forward to the return of Mor’s cutting one-liners and Azriel’s broodiness. I’ m also super duper nervous about the ships that I’ve come to adore and it’s got me worrying about which of my ships will be endgame!

In AcoTaR and AcoMaF, Ms Maas also teased some of the wider world – the different Courts, the history of Prythian, and of course the motives of the King of Hybern so I’m really looking forward to finally (hopefully!) getting some long-awaited cameos from the other High Lords as well as some answers to my million burning quetions! The world building in ACoMaF in particular was phenomenal so I’m sure Sarah will not disappoint in this installment 🙂

I love that this book sees Feyre taking charge of her destiny, she’s really evolved as a character so it’ll be interesting to see what happens when she returns to the Spring Court and how things play out with some familiar faces (can’t say I’m not looking forward to more Lucien… hehe) Plus, with this being the final book in the series, I can’t wait to see how the final battle goes, I’m hoping it brings the whole of Prythian together and we get to see a certain character get the recognition he deserves…

Have you read A Court of Mist and Fury? What books are you most looking forward to this month? Drop me a comment below!

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, with the idea of sharing two “teaser” sentences from the book you’re currently reading! It’s a great way to find out what’s being read around the blogosphere and find some gems to add to your TBR list (not that most of us need help on that front…!)

Scarlett always saw flashes of colour attached to her strongest emotions, and for an instant goldenrod desire lit up inside her. Briefly, Scarlett let herself imagine what it would be like to go to Legend’s private isle, to play the game and win the wish.

What are you reading at the moment? Drop me a comment below and share your teaser! 🙂

Synopsis from Goodreads:It’s been a shattering year for seventeen-year-old Zoe, who’s still reeling from her father’s shockingly sudden death in a caving accident and her neighbors’ mysterious disappearance from their own home. Then on a terrifying sub-zero, blizzardy night in Montana, she and her brother are brutally attacked in a cabin in the woods–only to be rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter they call X.

X is no ordinary bounty hunter. He is from a hell called the Lowlands, sent to claim the soul of Zoe’s evil attacker and other like him. Forbidden to reveal himself to anyone other than his victims, X casts aside the Lowlands’ rules for Zoe. As X and Zoe learn more about their different worlds, they begin to question the past, their fate, and their future. But escaping the Lowlands and the ties that bind X might mean the ultimate sacrifice for both of them.

Disclaimer: I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not in any way influence my views on the book.

Review: Well The Edge of Everything surpassed my expectations! And that was partly to do with the fact that I’m an idiot and, having read the Netgalley blurb, thought this was a contemporary (realistic) romance?? I did not clock at all that this was a fantasy until quite a few pages in… But when I did, an already promising start just improved 10x over. The story itself is an intriguing one, not much good comes from having a boyfriend literally from hell it turns out (!) It took a while for me to get the gist of the Lowlands but when I did I was totally immersed in the star-crossed lovers’ fate and the thrilling ride that Zoe and X embarked on to save themselves and stay together.

A frantic beetle was flitting back and forth between the panes of glass, trapped forever with the wide world in full view. X knew what it felt like to be that bug.

The Edge of Everything is one of those rare books where I could forgive the instalove and actually get behind it! Jeff Giles has crafted the characters in such a way and with so much depth that it’s almost inevitable that they would be attracted to each other and you cheer them on because they complement each other really well. I loved that Zoe is the badass, fierce and bold one in the pairing whilst X is very much the shy, naive but hopelessly in love one. I loved that the sweetest stuff between them was often unsaid/thoughts or physical gestures.

I really warmed to Zoe – she’s dealing with some pretty horrific stuff but manages to stay strong throughout. She’s by no means perfect, and I liked that we saw this part of her. At times she’s pretty mean to her little brother but it is the way she loves fiercely and loyally whether it is her family or her friend Val that really shines through. X on the other hand is less snarky but so resilient considering how he has grown up and what he is expected to do. The fact that X is able to hold on to his ‘humanity’ having never experienced it is such a beautiful thing. Reading about their first meeting and what follows, the sweet moments and the heart wrenching really swept me up and just totally immersed me in their story.

He realised now that he didn’t know very many stories – and certainly no pleasant ones. So he told her their story. He began with her knocking him down on the ice.

I also loved how the other characters all had their own stories and personalities – whether it was Regent, Banger and Ripper in the Lowlands or Jonah, Val and Dallas (loved the dialogue between him and Zoe!) in Montana. The female characters were very badass and inspirational – with brilliantly sharp tongues! The sibling relationship between Zoe and Jonah was also interesting, especially how far she was willing to go for him, and I liked how her protectiveness brushed off on X too. In that sense, I’m really glad this is the first in a series, because I seriously need more page time for these secondary characters!

The world building was top notch and Giles writes beautifully. The Lowlands was fascinating and I liked how some of it is recognisable and other bits totally original. Again, this book set us up with lots of questions about how the Lowlands works and I’m looking forward to discovering more in the next installment. This is the second book I’ve read in so many months where it’s set in a snowy location. Zoe’s Montana was beautifully described and the bits on caving which I’d probably usually find rather dull actually had me vividly imagining (and later googling!) chandelier-esque rock formations. The story weaves together a good mix of fantasy elements and romance and moved along at a thrilling pace.

The light, meanwhile, was dying fast. The coffin lid over Montana was getting ready to shut.

One of the things that really stuck out to me about The Edge of Everything was how Giles dealt with ‘big’ issues like morality, grief, and the afterlife but did it in a non-claustrophobic or preachy way. I found it really interesting to see how the characters dealt with different, and often uncomfortable, feelings like remorse and mercy and it was actually quite emotionally stirring. I liked that Giles does not shy away from the worst base instincts of humanity but doesn’t glorify them either – if anything he highlights the ambiguity inherent in things like morality and that was a fascinating thing to see in YA.

The Edge of Everything is out on 9 February in the UK – it is a stunning debut, so make sure to grab yourself a copy. I am already eagerly awaiting the sequel which sadly (and worryingly!) isn’t even up on Goodreads yet (don’t leave me hanging Mr Jeff Giles!!!)

Are you looking forward to The Edge of Everything? Any recs for great urban fantasy YA? Drop me your thoughts in the comments below!

Synopsis from Goodreads:In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word… Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles… When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge – and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks… and before the murderer targets them. Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets…

Review: This was my first read of 2017 so I had high hopes for it, wanting to start the year on a high. It was actually a book club read, and one that if I’m being totally honest would not have picked myself. I actually abandoned The Mortal Instruments part way through the third book because I just could not engage with the plot, couldn’t relate to the characters, and just did not care for what was going on.

However, Lady Midnight was a very pleasant surprise! I’ll start with what was easily my favourite thing about Lady Midnight which is the story itself. Cassandra Clare has crafted a brilliant story. It was a solid mystery which moved along at a good pace and I liked how all the different story arcs and elements wove together at the end without leaving any glaring plot holes. Plus, a big bonus was the fact that there was no mahoosive cliffhanger to be found at the end – always a thumbs up from me. 🙂

What did you do, what could you do, when what threatened the ones you loved was something else you loved just as much?

I really liked how the mystery was the main plot line but it was woven with relatable issues like family, responsibilities, secrets etc. One of the reasons fantasy, especially high fantasy, is my favourite genres is because it is pure escapism – it’s totally removed from reality and lets you immerse yourself in a completely different world. For this reason, urban fantasy doesn’t usually appear to me but I found that wasn’t the case with Lady Midnight. The California setting was also a nice change to the New York setting of TMI. The world building was great, but I found it even more impressive as I was essentially relearning the whole Shadowhunter ‘verse and Clare really helped brush up on the TMI and TID series without coming across like a dry history lesson and regurgitation of the plot lines of previous books.

The characters also left an impression on me – I found them so fascinating! Julian’s multi-layered personality was refreshing compared to some of the ‘tortured soul’ 2D male characters you can come across in YA – frankly, Julian had way bigger fish to fry than nurturing his angst (although there is a tiny bit of that – it’s not YA without it!) i.e.playing father to his younger siblings. I loved how family was so important to him and a tangible part of him, his paternal instincts, and how many of his decisions revolves around being a father figure. The sacrifices he makes to keep his family together really made him across as a properly complex character to me.

When you were twelve years old and you were all that stood between your family and annihilation, you didn’t learn moderation.

Emma, on the other hand, was a little irritating in that she came across as priding herself on being sharp and on top of things but her obliviousness to a certain plotline was a bit much for me and had me rolling my eyes. But I loved the other characters! Again it was brilliant to see the same representation in LM as in TMI whether it was sexuality, autism, suicide or mental health. I also really liked how the secondary characters felt like fully formed characters – each one had a distinct personality and this was given quite a bit of page time rather than token nods. Mark and Ty were easily my favourite characters, struggling with their differences to ‘the norm’.

My only criticism of Lady Midnight was the flowery and overly-descriptive writing Cassandra Clare seems to be fond of. The book was really long at 500+ pages and honestly I think she could easily have cut down by just removing repetitive descriptions. I got tired of hearing about how many different shades of yellow made up Emma’s blonde hair, how bodies look through what I assume must be completely translucent shirts, and dark and long eyelashes against sculpted cheekbones. Some of the metaphors and similes were also very overwrought and jarring that I often stopped to try and figure out what Clare was trying to get at. For example:

A pearlescent lightening of the water, as if white paint were spilling into the world through a crack in the sky.

Those slight annoyances aside, I really recommend Lady Midnight to anyone who wants original and interesting characters wrapped in a solid mystery. It goes without saying that this will go down well with fans of the Shadowhunter series and may convert others like me who gave up on TMI! I’m now eagerly awaiting the next installment!

Have you read Lady Midnight? What did you think? Is it better than The Mortal Instruments or The Infernal Devices? Let me know your thoughts!!

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One of my top reading goals for 2017 is to focus on the YA fantasy genre (i.e. play catch up on the cult classics that I’ve totally bypassed…) The topic of this post will probably make you question my credibility as a YA blogger (*gulp* why did this seem like a good idea again?!) but I’m hoping the public humiliation will spur me on to actually reading these awesome series that I’ve been criminally neglecting. 🙂

This post actually came about after a delightful chat with a Waterstones bookseller (thanks Valentine!) I had gone to pick up the Fantastic Beasts Case but found myself accidentally-on-purpose skulking around the Sci-Fi and Fantasy section looking for the new Tearling book. Valentine and I got talking and we realised we had similar taste when it came to this genre and we fangirled about A Court of Mist and Fury, Ember in the Ashes and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. And then I realised how much I was missing when I noticed how many “cult classics” I’d not read… voila this post!

Reading for fun was put on hold during university (cruel reality unfortunately!) and clearly I was on hiatus during the most inopportune time – most of the series in this list, or at least the first book, were all published 2014 or earlier and all have now wrapped up. It’s interesting that I’ve not read lots of them already because YA fantasy is easily my favourite genre but I’ve found myself getting seduced by newer releases getting tonnes of hype that I’ve not been able to play catch up.

SO I’ve made it my mission to read (/make a start on…) these gems in 2017. I know I’m seriously missing out and my blogger rep might as well be in the gutter! Without further ado, in no particular order, my top ten cult YA fantasy series that I’ve not read (yet!)

Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore (2009-2012) – a read of this series is so overdue. It’s got a badass protagonist Graced with the skill to kill – what more could I ask for?!

Synopsis: 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikly ally when the Monster (portrayed by Liam Neeson) in performance-capture and voiceover) appears at his bedroom window one night. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Coner on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality. (Official Website)

Review: I was invited to a preview of A Monster Callsearlier this week and was blown away by so many things in this movie! The film is based on the novel by Patrick Ness, author of bestselling Chaos Walking Trilogy. Interestingly, the idea for the novel actually belongs to Siobhan Dowd, author of classic YA books Bog Child and A Swift Pure Cry. After Dowd’s untimely death, Patrick stepped in and finished the book with credits to her idea.

I have to start with the acting. I was so so impressed by Lewis MacDougall as Conor. He portrayed the anguish of a teen trying to survive school and family woes whilst dealing with his mother’s terminal illness.I was totally struck by MacDougall’s raw talent and cannot wait to see him in more things – I predict a solid rise to fame for him. 🙂 This movie has a stellar cast of big names joining MacDougall including Felicity Jones who plays her character with such grace and poise, Sigourney Weaver as the stern but beleaguered grandmother, and Liam Neeson as the Monster. They were all phenomenal in their roles, their performances, especially Jones’s, was understated and just worked. Because of the way the film was directed by J.A. Bayona, (The Orphanage) at times I completely forgot they were acting because they fully became their characters.

And if you need to break things, then, by God, you break them.

The novel is known for its exploration of some pretty heavy themes like illness, grief, divorce and bullying. But my absolute favorite is how it explores the grey areas of morality – how sometimes people can be both good and bad and the book does this without ever coming across as patronising. This is what I think made the novel such a winner amongst people of all ages in the first place – it truly is an important idea for all of us to understand and I think it is so bravely tackled by Ness in A Monster Calls. Although the book deals with these difficult issues the movie handles it deftly and beautifully – it was neither heavy-handed nor did it shy away from reality, exactly like in the book.

I love how imagination is such a big part of this movie and it really takes you back to a time when you were younger and thought was pretty unrestricted. I felt *all* of the emotions during this movie – it was heartbreaking, charming, moving and magical and so many more things all at the same time. I loved how although it is a fantasy, the thing that I took from it was an exploration of what it means to be human and inherently complex.

Of course you are afraid, but you will make it through, for this is why you called me…

The original novel has a brilliant illustrated version with illustrations by Jim Kay. Bayona does justice to the messages in the novel and made them resonate on a grander scheme by bringing the beautiful illustrations to life in such a visual way through stunning watercolour. I was totally mesmerised during these scenes, and I found it reminiscent of the Tales of Beedle the Bard scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film – easily one of my favourite bits in the entire film series. The cinematography in this movie is done so well that at times I forgot I was in a cinema watching with lots of other people because I’d become totally immersed in the drama on screen!

This is one of those movies that will stay with you long after you’ve seen it! I’ve given it 5 stars – it’s a faithful adaptation and doesn’t try to overdo the drama just because it’s on the big screen. All of the actors give solid performances and I would recommend it just for the visual smorgasboard it offers alone!

Are you planning to watchA Monster Calls? Have you read the original novel by Patrick Ness? What bits are you most looking forward to seeing on screen? Drop me a comment below!